da pinnacle： An exciting final day is in prospect at Cheltenham where Gloucestershire arewell placed to win their first County Championship game at the College Groundsince 2001 against Worcestershire
06-Aug-2010
ScorecardAn exciting final day is in prospect at Cheltenham where Gloucestershire arewell placed to win their first County Championship game at the College Groundsince 2001 against Worcestershire.Despite a century from Daryl Mitchell, Worcestershire could make only 278 intheir first innings and conceded a deficit of 202 runs.With the pitch threatening to break up, Gloucestershire skipper Alex Gidmandecided against enforcing the follow-on and saw his side crash to 136 all out intheir second innings, Shakib Al Hasan taking 5 for 23 – his best figures forWorcestershire – and Alan Richardson 4 for 57.But that still left the visitors needing an unlikely 339 to win. They closedthe third day on eight without loss and will need to bat very well to achieveeven a draw.Worcestershire had begun on 126 for 2 in reply to 480 and looked capable of adecent first-innings reply while overnight batsmen Mitchell and Moeen Ali weretogether. But once Moeen fell to Anthony Ireland for 59, including nine fours, onlyMitchell offered much resistance. Gemaal Hussain finished with 4 for 30 totake his wicket tally for the season to 53.Mitchell was sixth man out with the total on 258, having faced 254 balls andhit 16 fours. It was a solid effort by the opener on a pitch that began torespond to spin in the latter stages of the innings and on which the homeseamers bowled well.Gloucestershire were no doubt planning on building a lead beyond 400 before adeclaration, but it never looked like happening as the out-of-form JonathanBatty was bowled by Matt Mason for three.First-innings centurion Will Porterfield hit a breezy 33, but Hamish Marshall,Alex Gidman and James Franklin could make only 30 between them, perishing in thequest for quick runs. Worryingly for Worcestershire, it was left-arm spinner Shakib who did most of the damage.Chris Taylor made sure the second innings was not a total disaster for the homeside by hitting 45 off 56 balls, with seven fours, but the last four wicketsfell without a run being added.Worcestershire will still feel they are in with a chance, but ifGloucestershire fail to take this opportunity they may start to think they willnever win another four-day game at Cheltenham. Their spell without a victory there stretches back 15 Championship games.